Search location by ZIP code

NEWS ARCHIVE

Advertisement

Lawsuit filed against shuttered group home in Davis

KCRA 3 has followed the accusations of understaffing and poor management at the FamiliesFirst group home since 2013, when it came to light that there were more than 500 calls for police to the facility.

KCRA 3 has followed the accusations of understaffing and poor management at the FamiliesFirst group home since 2013, when it came to light that there were more than 500 calls for police to the facility.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 11:07 PM PST Feb 18, 2015

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT WE INVESTIGATED NEW LAWSUIT AGAINST A SHORTER GROUP HOME FOR CHILDREN IN DAVIS. TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME THE PARENTS OF ONE OF THE CHILDREN AT THE CENTER OF SOME OF THE HARSHEST ALLEGATIONS ARE SPEAKING OUT. 9 8I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW IT CHILD COULD BE GONE ALL NIGHT LONG. 11 YEAR OLD. WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THESE ACCUSATIONS OF UNDERSTAFFING AND POOR MANAGEMENT OF THE FAMILY FIRST GROUP HOME THAT LED TO MORE THAN 500 CALLS TO POLICE. TONIGHT WE SPEAK WITH A COUPLE WHO SAY THEIR LAST -- THEIR LAWSUIT IS ABOUT MORE THAN MONEY. THIS IS THE STORY OF A COUPLE WHO SAY THEIR SON, THEN 12, WAS THE VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. WHEN HE WAS LIVING AT A DAVIS GROUP HOME. I HAVE NEVER CRIED SO MUCH IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I CAN'T EVEN PUT WORDS TO THAT FEELING THAT I HAD. I WAS IN SHOCK. I WAS -- I DNO'T EVEN KNOW -- I DO NOT EVEN KNOW I WAS COHERENT. THEY FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST FAMILIES FIRST INCORPORATED AND TWO EMPLOYEES FOR NEGLIGENCE, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS AND FRAUD. IT IS NOT OK TO DO KIDS LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY KIDS THAT ARE BORN INTO SITUATIONS WHERE IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT THAT THEY HAVE THESE ILLNESSES. WE ARE PROTECTING THE IDENTITY OF THE PARENTS BECAUSE OF THE ALLEGED CRIME AND THE VICTIM'S AGE. THEIR STORY BEGINS IN 20 05 WHEN THE COUPLE ADOPTED A FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY. THEY SAY THAT PROVIDED HIM WITH A LOVING HOME, BUT OVER TIME, THEY SAY IT WAS NOT ENOUGH. WHEN YOU SAY SPECIAL NEEDS, WE THINK, THAT MEANS THEY NEED LOVE AND SUPPORT AND A SENSE OF FAMILY. AND STRUCTURE AND SAFETY. I CLEARLY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF HIS NEEDS. WE WERE WILLING TO TRY ANYTHING. A LIVELY BOY WITH A TALENT FOR ART. VERY ARTSY. AN INCREDIBLY CREATIVE CHILD. THEY SAY THEIR SON WAS MENTALLY IMMATURE FOR HIS AGE. HE ALSO HAD VARIOUS EMOTIONAL AND LEARNING DISORDERS BY THE TIME YOU TURN 11, THE COUPLE SAID THEY SAW NO CHOICE BUT TO TRY A GROUP RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER. IT WAS THE HARDEST DECISION TO THIS DAY I HAVE EVER HAD TO MAKE IN MY LIFE. UIN MARCH, 2012, THEY MOVED THEIR SON INTO FAMILIES FIRST IN DAVIS. THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES SAYS IT WAS A LEVEL 14 FACILITY, THE HIGHEST TREATMENT LEVEL FOR CHILDREN WHO OFTEN HAVE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND ARE A HIGH RISK TO HARM THEMSELVES OR OTHERS. THEY SHOW REALLY WELL, AND THEY GIVE YOU THIS A SENSE OF HOPE. THEY SAY THEIR SON MADE SLOW AND STEADY PROGRESS FROM THE FIRST FEW MONTHS. AND THEN -- WE WERE BEGINNING TO NOTICE THAT THEIR WORST LOTS OF CHANGES IN THE STAFF. THE LAWSUIT ACCUSES FAMILIES FIRST OF MAKING SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CUTS IN 2012 THAT REDUCES STAFFING AND LED TO POOR SUPERVISION. WE NOTICE THAT HIS CLOTHING WAS CHANGING. HE WAS WEARING CLOTHING FROM THE LOST AND FOUND. HIS HYGIENE WAS NOT THE SAME. THE LAWSUIT SAYS THERE SUNDAY AGAIN TO SNEAK OUT OF THE FACILITY WITH OTHER STUDENTS. THE FIRST SUMMIT HAPPEN, THE PARENTS SAY THEY ONLY FOUND OUT BECAUSE THEIR SON CALLED AND TOLD THEM. THEY IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT HIM HOME. I JUST, I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW A CHILD COULD BE GONE ALL NIGHT LONG. 11 YEAR OLD. HE RETURNED TO FAMILY'S FIRST AFTER THE PARENTS SAY THEY WERE REASSURED STAFFING ISSUES WOULD BE ADDRESSED. BUT THEY SAY THINGS GOT MUCH WORSE. I GOT THE FEELING -- MY GOT FEELING LIKE SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. A MONTH LATER IN MAY, 2013, THE BOY AGAIN LEFT UNSUPERVISED WITH A GROUP OF NINE KIDS. THE GROUP WENT TO A NEARBY PARK WHERE ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTS, HE WAS FORCED INTO SEX AND BEATEN. I LOST IT. I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU -- EVERYTHING WENT BLANK. I HAD NO WORDS. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. I WENT THROUGH AN ARRAY OF EMOTIONS. UPSET, VERY ANGRY. SOMEWHAT DENIAL THAT THIS IS A DREAM. FAMILIES FIRST DECLINED TO SPEAK WITH US. BUT IN JUNE, 2013, THE STATE DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES MOVED IN AND REVOKED THE LICENSE FOR THE HOME AND IN DAVIS. THE STATE GAVE'S FAMILY FIRST A CHANCE TO EARN BACK A PROBATIONARY LICENSE. IN AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE, THE COMPANY ADMITS SOME CHILDREN WERE ABLE TO LEAVE CAMPUS WITHOUT PERMISSION. IT SAYS ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, THE HOME DID NOT BRING ON DUTY ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS TO PREVENT OR SHADOW EACH CHILD WHO WAS TRYING TO LEAVE. FAMILY FIRST ADMITS THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, IT DID NOT TIMELY REPORT TO THE STATE AND OTHER AUTHORIZED ARE PRESENTED AS. BUT THE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE MAKES NO MENTION OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO THE FAMILY THAT IS SUING THE GROUP HOME. WE HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON HIM. WE WILL NOT GIVE UP ON HIM. THE COUPLE SAY THEY ARE SUING TO PAY FOR THEIR SON'S ONGOING TREATMENT, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER REASON. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE TO BE A VOICE. MANY OF THESE CHILDREN ARE WARDS OF THE STATE. FOSTER CARE, AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK FOR THESE CHILDREN? THEY CLOSE THE GROUP HOME IN SEPTEMBER, 2013. IT STILL OPERATES -- THEY STILL OPERATE OTHER FACILITIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA. IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR AN

Lawsuit filed against shuttered group home in Davis

KCRA 3 has followed the accusations of understaffing and poor management at the FamiliesFirst group home since 2013, when it came to light that there were more than 500 calls for police to the facility.